EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM OF RABINDRANATH TAGORE

LIFE HISTORY

Rabindranath Tagore (Bengali: রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর) (7th May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a poet of India. His name is written as Rabindranath Thakur in Indian languages. He was also a philosopher and an artist. He wrote many stories, novels, poems and dramas. He is also very well known for composing music. His writings greatly influenced Bengali culture during the late 19th century and early 20th century. In 1913, he won the Nobel Prize in Literature. He was the first Asian ever to win this prize.

Rabindranath Tagore was popularly known as "kabiguru". His major works included Gitanjali (Song Offerings), a world-famous poetry book; Gora (Fair-Faced); Ghare-Baire (The Home and the World); and many other works of literature and art. Tagore was also a cultural reformer, and modernized Bangali art. He made it possible to make art using different forms and styles.

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY OF RABINDRANATH TAGORE

    Tagore's ideas for creating a system of education aimed at promoting international co-operation and creating global citizens. Tagore envisioned an education that was deeply rooted in one’s immediate surroundings but connected to the cultures of the wider world, predicated upon pleasurable learning and individualised to the personality of the child. He felt that the curriculum should revolve organically around nature, with flexible schedules to allow for shifts in weather, and with special attention to natural phenomena and seasonal festivities.

CONCEPT OF EDUCATION

• AIM

           The principal aim is to produce the moral and spiritual man, the whole man. He stressed inner development, attainment of an inner freedom, an inner power and enlightenment.

• Curriculum

           Tagore wished to develop a whole man. To him the then prevalent system of education was faulty and defective. It could not develop the individuality to the fullest extent. According to him curriculum should be such as to develop an individual physically, mentally, morally, socially and spiritually to the utmost limits. For this, a curriculum based on activities and broad experiences in real life situation is necessary. This will develop the personality

of the child to the full in all its aspects. Tagore emphasized that together with various subjects, different part of curriculum.

• METHOD OF TEACHING

            

(1)Teaching through Tours and Trips:

Tagore believed that the subjects like history, geography, economics and other social sciences can be effectively taught through excursions and tours to important spots.

(2) Learning by activities:

Rabindranath Tagore said that for the development of child's body and mind, learning through activity is essential

(3) Narration-cum-discussion and debate method:

Narration-cum-discussion and debating activities were organized Tagore's education centre to develop oratory abilities of the students

(4) Heurastic Method

In this method first, the students, are asked questions to clarify their doubts on topics and teachers try to satisfy them by their correct answers. Then the teacher asks the questions to students to evaluate how far the students are able to comprehend the topic discussed in the class.

• TEACHER

Rabindranath Tagore  believed that the teacher’s own life, his own search for truth should be such that encourages the student to respect truth and nature. Teaching lessons in the class and giving lectures on ideals and principles is not real education. Education can be successfully imparted by understanding childhood and giving oneself totally in love and union with it. The best education a child can get is in the atmosphere of love, trust and joy. Tagore gave a mantra to teachers – “Don’t try to preach your principles to children, instead give yourself completely in love”